


The Red Baron

by thebaronalwayswins



Category: Into the Badlands
Genre: Erotica, F/M, ITB, OC, Smut, baron - Freeform, baron quinn, itbquinn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-03-25
Updated: 2017-06-19
Packaged: 2018-10-10 09:57:38
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 8,484
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10435188
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thebaronalwayswins/pseuds/thebaronalwayswins
Summary: The reader is the female OC in this erotic drama based on Season 1 of AMC's original series "Into the Badlands".Plucked from an existence of poverty and servitude and thrust into a world of seduction, sin, and sumptuous splendor, will you ever find out Baron Quinn's true intentions? Will you make it out of the Fort with your dignity, or more importantly, your life?





	1. Poppy Bulb Blooms

A drop of sweat tumbled from my lashes, landing on the poppy bud in my hand. I reached up to quickly rub the sting from my eyes before moving on to the next plant and winced as my knife hand slipped and sliced the other. 

"Agh! Dammit..." I cursed under my breath, hoping that the nearby Clipper wouldn't hear. I didn't need to bring any more attention from them than I already did. If he thought he could help the "damsel in distress", I wouldn't be able to escape having to lay with him. I was just a Cog anyway, so I didn't matter anymore than the Dolls in town did. The only difference was that I was free for them, since their Baron owned me. I ripped another strip from my skirt hem and wrapped my palm tightly so that I could keep working. I'd have time to clean it up later. I had a quota to make and if I was to keep it, I couldn't stop cutting poppy bulb after poppy bulb. The harvest had been slow this year, what with the Widow taking more Cogs and ambushing oil transports. I couldn't afford to fall short on quota and was already running behind. The Clippers were keeping me from the fields, so I had to work double time to make up for the last couple of days. The other girls were jealous of the attention I received from the Baron's Clippers, and I couldn't bring myself to tell them the torture those beasts put me through day in and day out. Sunny seemed to be the only one with any mercy for me. He'd tell the other men to send me back to the field whenever he caught them, but he'd been out hunting Nomads the past week, so there was no one to rescue me. 

I had gotten to the last plant in the row by the road when the Clippers all rushed to attention and the Fort doors heavily creaked open. The 30 foot tall floodgates rarely opened this time of day, spare for when Sunny's motorcycle came roaring through on a mission for the Baron, so we all looked up to see who the occasion was for. To our shock, the Baron himself came sauntering out on his thoroughbred without an escort. With the Widow's attacks, this was an unheard of event, so we all quickly dropped our heads to the poppies and harvested faster than ever before. I cursed under my breath as I noticed blood seeping through my makeshift bandage on my hand. I needed to take care of that, but if I didn't have time before, I certainly didn't now.

The Baron slowly rode through the fields along the only road in and out of the Fort, surveying his crops and Cogs. Even in the sweltering South Louisiana afternoon, he wore his signature crimson wool military coat and his white linen shirt buttoned all the way to the collar. His hair was carefully combed up and his bearded was immaculately groomed; the image of a perfect Southern gentleman. He lazily gazed down at row after row of poppies and dirty Cogs, not stopping on either for more than a second or two.

I had started on the next row of buds heading away from the road when I realized that his horse had stopped. I chanced a glance up and my breathe caught in my throat when I saw he was staring down at me, sun gleaming behind him.

"You there. Let me see ya hand."

I swallowed hard, frozen as I tried to figure out if he was talking to me. Had the most powerful Baron in the South just spoken to a Cog?

"Come on now. Nobody's gonna hurt ya. Let me see that hand." His accent drawled with the sophistication of over two centuries of Southern plantation owners. Something about it was comforting and frightening at the same time. It commanded respect and action, so I obediently set down my basket, stood up and presented him with my now crimson soaked bandaged palm.

"Now that just won't do," he frowned. "Clippah! Take this dream to the house and have Veil take a look at that hand." He turned back to me, "Can't have a Cog with useless hands." He smiled in a way that left me uncertain as to his sincerity, but before I could decide his intentions, he had already turned his attentions to the other side of the road and was moving further from the Fort.

"Oh, and one more thing," he called back, "Make sure she gets a bath and some new clothes. It seems a shame to have somethin' so lovely lookin' that way." That smile. But, again, before I could figure it out, he was gone the other way and I was being led into the Fort through those looming doors, into a world I'd never known.


	2. River Rushes Down

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In the Fort for the first time, will you finally discover what the Baron wants? Why has he taken to you so?

"There's a clean dress and underthings on the chair in the corner. If you need anything else, I'll be right outside Miss." 

"Miss." That's the first time I'd ever been called that. The room was cool and dark, with only sunlight filtering in from the hurricane shutters between the heavy embroidered curtains. In the center under an unused chandelier was a large, brass bathtub, steaming with the scent of confederate jasmine. In the corner was a plush, velvet upholstered throne of a chair that had been delicately draped with a fresh, brand new dress and stark white underwear.

Something was wrong. 

The Baron's Cogs, despite the red banners that loomed over us, wore dusty blue. From head to toe, everything that was visible was always that ever fading color that blended into the hot Louisiana sky. The dress that graced this chair, though, was a rich plum. There must have been a mistake. Maybe the house Cog thought that the bath she was drawing was for the Baroness? 

Regardless, the bath was going to get cold if I had continued to stand around pondering, so I stripped down to my dingy bra and knickers and took pause. I had never had a proper bath before. I'd heard stories of the members of the household bathing completely nude, and while that sounded terrifying, was the most exhilarating idea I had ever heard. After gently folding my things over the stool next to the tub, I swung my leg over the edge and stepped in.

"Agh!" I squeaked and drew back. It was hot! I tried again, but this time slowly dipped my feet into the large basin one at a time. I sank into the piping water all the way up to my neck, being careful to keep my cut hand and bandage out of the water. I didn't want to tarnish this with the blood still oozing from my hand. I cautiously closed my eyes and cherished the moment as if it were my last.

A gentle knock at the door startled me out of my stupor and I watched as the door slowly peaked open and a younger woman slipped through with a large leather bag.

"Hello." She padded over to the opposite side of the room and picked up a small wooden chair from the vanity under one of the huge windows. Gingerly placing it next to the side of the tub, she sat down and reached for the small cloth that rested on the rim. "I was told you had a cut that needed tending?"

I glanced at my hand.

"Here. Let me take a look."

I tried to hide my fear as I sat up and stretched out my wrapped hand towards her. She carefully unwrapped the blood soaked rag and let it drop to the floor, inspecting the wound as well as she could in the low light. 

"That's quite a cut. I'm going to have to stitch it closed, but first we'll need to clean out the dirt to prevent infection."

She dipped the clean cloth in the still steaming bath water and paused, looking at my face that could no longer hide the unease underneath.

"My name is Veil. What's yours?"

I didn't respond, my voice not wanting to break through the tight seal I had on my emotions.

"It's alright. I'm here to help. This is going to hurt, but I'll try to make it as quick and painless as possible, ok? Here..." she trailed off as she rummaged through her bag and produced a small bottle. She scanned the room and stood to fetch an empty glass from the vanity, pouring a small sip of the amber liquid from the bottle.

"Drink this and we'll wait a bit for it to settle in." She handed me the glass and started to tie her long, curly, black hair behind her. I stared into the cup, trying to decide if it would benefit her at all to poison me. "Come on. The sooner you drink it, the sooner you'll feel better. Between you and me," she whispered, her brown eyes sparkling with a smile, "I have to give this to the Baron before he'll so much as let me look at a wound, so I know it works."

I smiled a little and shot down the bitter liquid, gagging as it passed my throat.

"Yeah, he does that too."

She chuckled and started to scrub away the grime around the wound as tenderly as she could. The muscles in my palm were still tender, but by the time she started to clean inside the wound, I could hardly feel a thing. 

"I take that it finally kicked in?"

I nodded lazily, watching as she continued to pick out dirt and poppy seeds.

"You know you helped to make that? The opium in that tincture came from the first harvest of the year. I don't like using it, but in small doses, it helps with minor surgeries like these."

I knew that opium was the end product of the harvest, but Cogs had no way of affording a taste of the fruits of our labor. We never got a salary. Only food enough to get by, a shelter to live in, and our blue uniforms. I had never felt a euphoria like this. It was as if everything had melted away. I was no longer in the tub, or in the Baron's huge house, or even in the Badlands. I felt a freedom like I never had before. I wasn't a Cog anymore. I wasn't even human. I just existed as a being in the universe.  
-:-  
I was just starting to come back to the room when Veil was snipping the last stitch in my palm. "There. Now, I'm going to bandage this back up and leave you with a few clean bandages and some salve. Keep it clean, replace the bandages daily, and it should heal up in a couple of weeks. Just be gentle with this hand, ok?"

I nodded that I understood.

"I can't leave you like this. I don't want you drowning on my watch. Here's something to help you come back to the land of the living." She handed me the glass again, but this time, the liquid was sweet and the color of mashed raspberries. By the time she had packed up, put her shawl on, and stood, I was wide awake and wondering where I was supposed to go next.

Veil was about to turn the door when she paused and turned to look at me. On her face was an expression of concern as she seemed to be trying to decide what to say.

"I suggest that you wash and dress as quickly as you can, get out of this house, and return to your family." Her tone was hushed and troubled. "I don't know why the Baron seems to have taken to you, but it would be in your best interest to stay as far away from him as you can."

Before I could ask questions, she was already out the door.

Unsure of what she meant, but spooked nonetheless, I hurriedly finished up in the last of the warm water, climbed out of the oversized tub, dried off with the large clean cloth draped over the brass rack next to the tub, and surveyed the fresh clothing on the velvet chair. Before I could decide what to do with it, two house Cogs came scampering in to the room. While one started to empty the tub, the other came to address me.

"Miss, the Baron has asked that you join him for dinner in the main dining hall. May we assist you in dressing?"

Confused and still reeling from Veil's warning, I nodded half heartedly and the Cogs bustled to their respective duties. One helped me into the bra, knickers, and corset provided, while the other shook out the dress and hung it from a hook on the wall. A third Cog came rushing in and prepared the vanity table with an ornate silver brush and several silver and porcelain pots and bowls filled with various cosmetics and perfumes. Within minutes, I was dressed, my hair was combed and pinned, my lips, cheeks, and nails were painted, and I was slipping my feet into the most lovely shoes I had ever seen. The first Cog led me to a massive mirror in the corner and I gasped aloud at the reflection. 

The woman I saw in the mirror wasn't someone I recognized at all. The floor length wine colored gown I wore fit perfectly. From the hem gracefully brushing the wood floors to the gold clasp reaching across my collar bones, the dress looked as though it was sewn just for me. The slit up to my thigh revealed the high heeled shoes, with a chain stretching over my toes and my ankles. My lips were plump, the color of the poppies I had spent my whole life caring for, and my lashes were heavy with kohl. My hair, which had been brushed and curled with a hot iron, tumbled effortlessly over my shoulders and down my bare back. I had never dreamed that looking like this was possible, much less that I'd be staring at my own reflection in the Baron's house. Not even my mother, in all her glamour, had ever come close to the reflection staring back at me.

"Are you ready, Miss? Dinner is about to be served. The Baron is waiting."

I snapped back to reality. The Baron! I had almost forgotten what I was about to do. But no time for that. The house Cogs ushered me out the doors, down the hall past the most gorgeous paintings of lush, green landscapes and immaculately dressed men and women, and down the stairs toward the dining hall where the man who owned my entire life was waiting to sit down to dinner with me.


	3. The Blue Moon Rises

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dinner has begun, but what, or who, is on the menu?

I paused before the doors to the dining hall and took a deep breath. Taking a moment to steel myself, I nodded to the Clippers guarding the door that I was ready. I realized that I recognized these Clippers as two of the men who took me last week. Swallowing hard, I hoped against all hopes that this realization wasn't foreshadowing for what was to come.

The doors swung open and I was greeted by the most beautiful table setting I had ever seen. A bouquet of poppies and magnolias stood high at the center of the table, surrounded by fine white china, daintily folded linen napkins, and gleaming silver forks, knives, and spoons. Crystal wine and water glasses sparkled in the pools of candlelight and the last rays of sun streaming through the shutters in hues of pink and orange.

Suddenly, from behind the bouquet, rose the Baron. Tall and foreboding, he skirted the table and sauntered towards me, determination in his heavy footsteps.

"Ah, there she is! My, don't you look a dream. Don't you think, Sunny?"

I hadn't noticed the Baron's Regent standing watch in the corner. Statuesque, Sunny stood guard in full armor and blade.

"Yes Baron," was all he answered.

The Baron turned his head back slightly and nodded to Sunny, indicating that he could step out with a wave of his hand before returning to me with a grin. After a moment of studying me intently, the Regent silently stepped out, shutting the doors behind him.

The Baron took my hands in his, drawing back when I winced.

"Oh, my dear! I'm sorry. I was so transfixed by your beauty that I forgot about your hand. How is it? Veil took good care of you, I hope?"

I nodded that she did, which seemed to please him, as the smile returned to his face.

"Here. Please. Take a seat." He pulled out a chair and led me gingerly by the hand to my seat at the end of the table. Satisfied that I was comfortable, he sat down at the far end, instructing the house Cog to take the center bouquet on his way back.

"I want to see my lovely companion."

He had the same high neck shirt as before, unbuttoned slightly, and his elbow rested on the red coat draped over the arm of his chair. His hair was freshly washed and combed, as was his beard. His blue eyes shone bright in the candlelight, sparkling with the memory of something long forgotten. He motioned for the Cogs to begin serving, and when his wine glass had been filled, he lifted it to make a toast.

"To good fortune"

I raised my glass in agreement, still unsure if good fortune had really fallen on me or not. 

"Now," he said as the house Cogs brought out tray after tray of breads, meats, and more cheeses, vegetables, and fruits than I knew existed, "your mother was a Doll, was she not?"

I sat upright. How could he know that? I came to the Fort as an infant with a group of new Cogs, none of them being my family. The only contact I'd had with my mother was a photograph given to me after her death when I was a child. In it, she stood tall and slender, with long wavy hair that shone bright against the dark dressing gown she had draped around her shoulders. Her face was painted to perfection, hiding the darkness around her sunken eyes and making her hungry lips look full and strong.

"Don't be alarmed. I took an interest in you when I noticed my Clippahs missing morning drills. You see, those men are my family and I had to ensure that they weren't gettin' into any real trouble."

He took a bite from the bread he had piled with cheese, meat, and spread.

"Come now, eat my dear! I'm sure you're famished after a long day's work."

As much as I didn't want to admit it, I was. In front of me, the house Cogs had placed a plate piled high with carved roast chicken, bread and vegetable stuffing, collard greens, and potatoes with crawfish etouffee. Covering the table between us, at least a dozen more platters and bowls overflowing with fish, alligator, duck, watermelon, sweet potatoes, gravies, okra, and more were spread rim to rim. This was clearly more food than either of us could eat, but there were only two place settings prepared: mine and the Baron's. Was he trying to display his wealth? There was no need. The Baron controlled two territories and was unquestionably the most powerful of all the Barons. I hesitantly took a bite of the etouffee, which seemed safe enough. And so the feast began, interrupted intermittently by small talk about the territories, the Nomad attacks, the crops this year, and water levels in the Mississippi. 

I did my best to keep up, but I found myself so overwhelmed by the flurry of Cogs, words, and dishes that I responded mostly with nods, affirmations, and, by desert, with laughs. His charm was unavoidable, and I found myself more disarmed with each smile and more lured with each honeyed word that dripped from his lips. 

With a satisfied sigh, the Baron leaned back in his chair, allowing the room to finally settle to a soft stillness that blanketed the empty plates and glasses. 

"Join me in the garden, won't you?"

I agreed with a smile, still in a haze from the wine and after dinner cafe au lait, and stood to meet his outstretched hand. My arm in his, he led me through the spacious double doors swung wide out onto the garden balcony. The moonlight gleamed on the center fountain, bouncing all around the roses, lilies, and silverbells meticulously maintained across the vast gardens. In the distance, I could see the night watch Clippers making their rounds at the Fort's edge. I felt safe standing here. Surrounded by sumptuous splendor and the sweet scent of jasmine, I forgot all about poppy fields and blue ragged dresses.

"Beautiful, isn't it? I fought with all I had for this after my father was killed, and I will continue to fight for it until there's nothing left to war over." The Baron took a deep breath and surveyed his kingdom with the pride of a father watching his children grow. He turned to look at me, holding my gaze, seeming to search for something deep in my soul.

"All this could be yours, if you'll take it." He put his arm around my waist, holding me close. "You'll never have to work another day of your life. Come lead alongside me. I want nothing more than to live tonight again and again." He pulled me tight to his chest, his lashes brushing my now dewy brow. 

"Marry me." He pressed his whispered request into my dumbfounded lips with his, while my head swirled at what I had just heard. I couldn't grasp what was happening. Yet here I was, wrapped in the arms of the man who, just moments ago, was my Baron. My master. And now, with just one word, I was leaving my life of servitude and straits for one of lavish opulence. One word would change my fate forever.

"Yes."


	4. RED STRIKES THROUGH

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> SMUT
> 
> I set my unease aside and give in to the night. What will become of me now? Does that even matter? What do I have to lose?

I don't know if it was the wine, the bewilderment, or just being wrapped up in the powerful arms of my Baron, but, at that moment, I knew exactly what I wanted. His kisses were passionate, flushing my cheeks and neck with chills that rushed down my spine. The heat that overwhelmed me was more than I could bear. Running my hands up his arms to his neck, I pulled him tighter to me, relishing in the grin I felt break from his lips. He pulled back from my eager kiss, eyes aflame with excitement at his newfound toy. 

"Come with me."

With long purposeful strides, the he led me back through the dining hall now dark and empty, through rooms filled with lavishly upholstered chairs and solid wood tables, up the carpeted stairwell, and along hallways lined with tapestries. We landed at an immense oak door with a large brass handle that gleamed in the candlelight from the sconces on either side. A long brass key protruded from the keyhole under the handle, the tassel attached to it hanging still in the silent hall. 

The Baron turned to me, a smirk spreading across his face. "Open it."

I looked at him, perplexed for a moment, then at the handle. I cautiously twisted the key, turned the knob, and after a moment's pause, stepped into the door.

"Your future has begun."

The room that greeted me was immense. Heavy curtains framed windows all around, save for a fir door that opened to a private washroom. A beautiful mahogany wardrobe towered over an intricately embroidered rug that stretched over half of the room. At the center of the suite stood a vast bed with four ornately carved mahogany posts at each corner. I turned to the Baron, breathless at the grandeur.

"It's yours, unless you would prefer another roo...." Before he could finish his sentence, I grabbed the lapel of his crimson coat and pulled him to me, hushing him with my lips. I pulled the coat over his shoulders, letting it drop to the floor behind him, pulling him as I backstepped to the bed. Face tender, he ran his fingers through my hair, pulling me up for a passionate kiss, trailing off across my jaw, under my ear, and down my neck. His hands crawled up my back, feeling along the boning and laces of the corset through my dress until he came to the zipper between my shoulder blades. Pulling the zipper down, the Baron stepped back, letting the dress tumble to the floor around me. He smiled as he studied my frame, humming, pleased with what he saw. 

I reached back to undo the corset laces when he grabbed my wrist to stop me.

"No. Leave it." He flipped me hard with my arm and pushed me face down to the bed, taking the laces and wrapped the excess around his knuckles. With his other hand he slipped a finger under the waistband of the knickers, pulling them down and tossing them aside. He traced my dripping lips with his finger, gently teasing the opening and toying with my clitoris. My breathing heavy, I moaned with pleasure as he slowly slid his fingers in and pointed down. He crouched behind me, pulling tighter at the corset strings, and lapped up the juices dropping from his fingers before suckling at my clit. I gasped and pushed back into his face, reaching back and pushing his head harder in to my body. He suddenly pushed his tongue deep into my tight lips. I groaned and rocked against him as he pushed and pulled his tongue in and out. 

Just as I was about to climax, he stopped and stood, inciting me to groan in dismay. "We are keen, aren't we?" he chuckled. I flushed, embarrassed at my eagerness. 

"In that case, I'm happy to oblige." Suddenly I cried out as he filled me with his substantial organ. "There's a good girl. I didn't hurt you, did I?"

Gasping, I shook my head, "No Baron."

"Good"

Slowly, he pulled out and pushed in, leaning forward to kiss my shoulders. "Are you ready, my darling?" he whispered. I nodded and braced myself for whatever I had just agreed to. Corset laces in one hand and my shoulder in the other, he repeatedly pulled me back into him, his head hitting deep inside me. I tried to stifle my ecstatic screams, but I couldn't contain the sound anymore than I could hold back the orgasmic waves that rushed through me. With every rush, I tightened and the Baron throbbed and growled pulling tighter on my corset. The corset boning squeezed and pushed on my ribs, making me wince with every tug of the strings. The pain, while excruciating, was exhilarating and sent me into another level of orgasm. 

Overcome with lust, I pushed back on the Baron and stood. I turned to him, tearing his shirt apart, buttons tinkling on the floor. Shoving him to the bed, I crawled on top of him, kissing a path along his chest, shoulders, and neck. His fingers dug into my thighs as I sunk down on to him. He hummed his pleasure as I pushed down, allowing him to fill me completely. I raked my nails across his chest as I raised and lowered onto him, whimpering with every thrust. His throbbing cock grew and grew and he lifted and pulled at my waist faster and faster. Our labored breaths fell in sync as we both approached climax. Louder and harder we moved as one shivering in waves of....

Pain. Sudden, excruciating pain. The Baron's eyes went wide with shock, and I looked down to find a blade dripping with blood protruding from under my breast. The room started fading to white as the Baron called out.

"Clippahs!"

He pulled out from under me and quickly placed me on my side on the bed, taking the sword from my back and replacing the hole with sheets. The Clippers rushed in, swords drawn.

"Get her out of here!" the Baron barked.

A Clipper quickly picked me up and started out the door. The last thing I remembered was the rage on my Baron's face, the shouting of men, and the clatter of swords before I faded out, completely succumbing to my end.


	5. Warring Over Flowers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When war shows up to their doorstep, how will Baron Quinn an his new bride react?

Veil's voice was the first thing I noticed when I came to, quickly followed by the sweet smell of jasmine and magnolias.

"She's going to be alright, Baron. Her corset kept the wound pretty compressed and the sword missed any major organs or arteries. I honestly don't think that this attack was meant to be fatal."

"I don't believe her surviving was an accident either. Whoever is behind this will surely pay dearly."

At the sound of the Baron's voice, I fully came around, opening my eyes to find him sitting in the arm chair next to me holding my hand. He looked as though he had been awake for days.

He looked over at me, surprised to see that I was awake. "My darling, you've joined us. How are you feeling?"

I tried to speak, but my mouth and throat were dryer than the clay in summer and my voice came out in cracks. My chest seared with pain like a hot branding iron with every breath I took.

"Baron, give her time. Her diaphragm suffered a great trauma, so she may not be up for talking for a couple of days. For now, she needs to drink water and broth, and rest." She came to the other side of the bed, gently sitting down beside me. "Now, you're going to be just fine. I've stitched your wounds and provided your handmaiden with a tincture to give you every night to help you sleep. Take it slow, don't try to sit up. I'll be back in a couple of days to check on your progress."

"You'll be back tomorrow morning. I want you here as soon as the sun is up." The Baron was firm, but his concern still peeked through.

"Yes Baron." Veil picked up her bag, taking a moment to look me in the eyes, trying to communicate some form of unease before turning and slipping out the door, closing it behind her.

The Baron stood and sat on the edge of the bed, still holding my hand. For a long moment, we just looked at each other. Was last night a lucid opium induced dream? Had my cut hand been more than just a laceration and the Baron, concerned for his property, taken to overseeing my recovery? Or was I really to marry the Baron? Here he was, gently stroking my hair, and wiping sweat from my fevered brow, his face betraying that of a concerned lover. What was the meaning of all this? Just the afternoon before, I had been a lowly Cog in my Baron's fields, beaten and used by my Baron's Clippers, only to be cared for by my Baron's doctor, dressed in my Baron's finest clothes, wined and dined at my Baron's table, given room in my Baron's bed, and now I lay wounded and coddled by my Baron's hand. I tried to take a deep breath and coughed at the effort, my chest screaming for air that wouldn't come.

"My darling, please believe that I didn't mean for this. A traitor was in our midst. One of my Clippahs.... MY OWN CLIPPAH.... was working with the Widow. When they found that I brought you in, they set the wheels in motion to start a war.

And if war is what they want, war is what they will have.

But know that no one comes for my family without retribution. I swear that I will protect you til my dying breath, should you choose to stay with me."

He looked to me for a moment, seemingly waiting for a response that I couldn't voice. I looked around the room for something to write on, settling on a journal on the vanity table. I painfully lifted my hand and pointed to it. The Baron followed the line from my finger to the book and motioned for the handmaiden to fetch it. From his pocket he produced an ornate fountain pen, uncapping it and handing it to me with the journal opened to an empty page.

"I am yours, my Baron"

"And you always will be." He gently kissed my forehead, and turned toward the door. "Come on in, Sunny."

The Regent walked in, dressed for war. His swords crossed his back in handmade leather sheaths, and in his hands, the Baron's large blade hungry for battle. His face looked stern, but weary, like he'd seen far too much for one man and knew that the path of destruction he laid wasn't done. "The Clippers are armed and waiting, Baron."

"Good" The Baron stood and walked briskly to the door, taking his sword from Sunny as he passed. He stopped just before exiting the room, running to look at me lovingly, nodded, then crossed the threshold into a battle fought, not over me, as I would discover, but over his own pride and love of war.

-*-

As the weeks passed, summer turned to fall, bringing with it chilly nights and a carpet of brown and red leaves. I rarely heard from my Baron, save for the updates sent back from war camps to the Clippers and, on rare occasions, a personal letter for me. In them, he would assure me that I would be safe and tell of hard fought battles. In every letter, he would sign off with a promise to come home to me, though as I grew stronger and began to walk the empty halls of my new home, I began to doubt that I would ever see him again. He instructed me to begin planning the wedding as soon as I was able, or rather I think to keep me occupied while cooped up in bed. The House Cogs provided me with official stationary and helped me to know who I should invite and how. It struck me as odd to be sending out invitations to such a lavish and frivolous affair in the middle of a war, and my Baron assured me that it would all be over soon and that the Badlands would return to normal, but it's hard to plan for and invite people to a wedding that we still don't have a date for.

I was out in the garden, trading the stuffy air in the vast rooms of the house for the crisp evening breeze when a House Cog shouted to me from the balcony.

"Baroness! He's coming! The Baron is coming!"

I gathered up my skirt and sprinted through the house, leaving my new regal airs behind in my excitement. I had never been so relieved to see a man that I knew so little. He looked weary, but triumphant, his horse trotting smartly up the oak alley of the Fort. Behind him, his Regent and an army of Clippers, now thinned and wounded from war, marched and rode, strong, yet visibly exhausted. I stopped in the front steps, letting my dress down and fussing with my skirt and the thin tendrils of hair that always hung over my face.

"You look fine, Baroness. I'm sure he'll be pleased to see you." My handmaiden smiled reassuringly, brushing my hair from my face. She had been my only friend these last few weeks, save for Veil, and I had become grateful for her presence and guidance in running the household in the Baron's absence.

I straightened my shoulders and, after a deep breath, stepped forward down one of the long stairs that framed the front of the mansion. The Baron reached the house just as I reached the lawn at the base of the stairs, and dismounted to greet me. 

"Ah my beautiful bride!" He wrapped his arms around me, picking me up with ease. "How are you feeling? Veil's ensured you've healed nicely?" I told him that she had, and, in my most authoritative voice, began to tell him about the affairs of the house before he interjected. "No no. We've no time for that. We have business to attend to."

And with that, my Baron swooped me up into his victorious arms and marched us straight into the house.


	6. Resin Seeps In

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With the Baron's safe return, what is to become of you? You've run the house in his absence and learned so much, but why?

Crossing the threshold, my Baron thrust me against the wall, hoisting up the skirt of my dress to dig his fingers tight into my thighs. Behind him, I heard the House Cogs and nearby Clippers scamper and slink off, leaving the room silent but for my heavy breaths and the growl in my Baron's chest. I tore rabidly at his coat, ripping it off his shoulders and throwing it across the room.

How I had missed his tenacity. I had never had someone want me so completely, not just in body, but in mind and soul. When we were together, I was compelled to completely forget about intentions and schemes. Long gone were thoughts that this was any more than a man and a woman loving each other in a war torn world.

As he ran his fingers gently through my hair, I relished in his touch, melting into his arms. Suddenly, I cried out as he grabbed the hair at the nape of my neck and yanked back, baring my neck to an onslaught of kisses and bites. I winced as my Baron's teeth nipped at the sensitive skin beneath my ear. He let go of my hair, letting me kiss his lips passionately, trailing across his cheek, to his ear, and down his neck, stopping to bite his ear. He hummed in pleasure, feeling my hands over his throbbing cock. I unbuckled his belt, whipping it from the loops, never letting my lips leave his neck. I sank down against the wall, pulling his trousers with me as I went. Using the belt wrapped around his hips, I pulled my Baron into my mouth, causing him to brace against the wall. I licked up and down the shaft of his cock, pausing to suck on the head. He twitched and I grinned as his breathing grew heavier, releasing into moans and growls. Slowly, with my lips wrapped around him making a seal, I pulled him into me and down my open throat. I held him there, letting my throat muscles contract and twitch around him. He gasped as I released and pushed his hips back. I started to pump him in and out, allowing him to grab my hair and push further into me. I felt his cock throb and grow as he steadily approached climax. The veins in his shaft pulsed between my lips. Taking the belt in one hand, I freed my other to reach down and massage my clit. My middle and ring finger made circles and pushed furiously into the sensitive area on and around my clit, so that I matched my Baron's ferocity.

Just before he released his seed, he backed out of my mouth and pulled my face to meet his, kissing me passionately.   
"Now, woman. I've been gone a long time and, now that we've gotten the excitement out of the way, I need to show you just how much I've missed you." He stepped back and took my hand, leading me over to the massive staircase. Using my hand to guide me, my Baron directed me to sit on the stairs and gently pushed me back, kissing my lips as he lifted my skirt to my hips. He gingerly inserted the head of his cock into the swollen, dripping lips of my labia, checking my face for any sign of discomfort. Slowly, he penetrated deeper, encouraging my body to envelope him completely. 

"Are you alright? I've been gone a long time, and I don't intend to hurt you on my first evening home."

I nodded, breathlessly, "Yes, Baron."

He paused and smiled, "Please. You're my bride. I don't own you anymore. Call me Quinn."

I knew it wasn't true. He would always own me. But for now, I let myself believe the lie for just a bit longer and relished the love my Baron made.

-*-

Over a breakfast of pleasantries and small talk, my Baron... Quinn... suggested that we ride through the territory. After donning my riding gown, I instructed Sunny to put together an escort and made my way down to the stables.

The stables were to the other side of the Clipper barracks from the main house, as they used the horses more than the House did. Walking through the barracks had whole new meaning for me now. These men who once abused their power and authority over my body were now sworn to lay their lives down in my name. No longer did I need to slink in between the buildings, slipping out of the Fort and, temporarily, out of their reach. Now, I strode freely through the main tree covered boulevard, not to jeers and catcalls, but to nods of respect.

But their fealty wasn't to me and it certainly wasn't a loyalty of love but one of fear and necessity toward a man who was once the most feared Clipper in all of the Badlands. I was privy to a sight that most of them only dreamed of: their Baron's skin. Across it spread the blood of countless lives taken by his hand. Hundreds of cross hatches in thick black ink to remind anyone who saw them that a Clipper's sword is merciless. Your life for theirs. I shuddered at the thought that these men whose strike I once cowed from in these very barracks now had stripes on their backs from my defense. In those weeks of my recovery, the Clippers and their Baron clipped hundreds of the Widow's Butterflies. Hundreds of women laid to rest at my expense. Though my skin was clean but for the Armadillo branding on my hand, I felt every single one of those souls slash across my back, weighing my shoulders down with the burden of death.

I didn't ask for this.

Quinn grinned as I approached the stables, meeting me at the boulevard with a Cog leading two fine quarter horses. No Clippers had joined us as of yet, so I asked the Cog how long it would be til they arrived. Before he could answer, Quinn took my hand and quipped, "Woman, have you forgotten who I am these past weeks? I am all the protection you need."

"Of course." I smiled gently, hiding my apprehension as best I could.

Quinn hoisted me up onto the horse, easily 15 hands high, and within moments, we were strolling back through the barracks, framed by Clippers saluting their Baron with a closed fist to their hearts, across the large lawn that sprawled in front of the manor, and out the front gates between the poppy fields being tended by the Cogs for the next season. This wasn't just a leisurely ride. Quinn was parading me across his territory for everyone to see. For my former equals to see. This parade was a display of power. To remind everyone of who he was. To remind me of who I had been and who I had become. The Cogs in between the endless rows of now wilting poppies all looked up at me, one by one. Some with hope in their dirty faces. My having been chosen gave them permission to daydream about the day that they might one day escape. Behind my smiling eyes, I begged for them to understand that there was no escape. I wasn't free. No one was. Some looked at me with disdain while others turned their backs to me as I passed. I didn't blame them, but it saddened me all the same. I had been one of them once, but by some freakish chance, I had been plucked from the dirt, washed, and now was being presented on a silver platter gleaming in the afternoon sun. I didn't belong anywhere anymore. I wasn't a Cog, but neither was I of the barony. No matter how many books I read or how much I practiced my etiquette, I would never be a real Baroness, but to these people, I was a part of the aristocracy that kept them enslaved with empty authority. 

Past the poppy fields, the forest beckoned us with its leaves of red, orange, and yellow. Little glints of green peaked through, shrinking daily under the unforgiving fire of the still hot Southern sun. We veered off of the main road and started through the trees along a well worn path. Stripes of sunlight streamed through, kissing the horse's mane and coat as we passed under. I gave him a pat on the side of his neck, and felt that familiar sensation of being watched. I looked up to find Quinn smiling at me like a boy in love. I smiled back and he caught himself.

"Have you been riding in my absence?"

I blushed and told him I had been. While he had been gone, I had been learning from the Stable Cogs the basics and had become a pretty accomplished rider by this point.

"Fine. Then you'll be able to keep up. HYAH!"

And with that, he was off, racing further into the trees and around the path's bend. Side saddle, I dug my heel into my horse's haunch and we gave chase. Being under a lighter load, my horse caught up easily. We galloped together along the path, ducking under low hanging limbs and weaving back and forth as the path wound it's way through the forest until we came up to a large white house. It's porch wrapped all the way around and beckoned us to its shade with wicker chairs and wooden rockers. The door opened as we slowed to a stop at the base of the stairs revealing an older couple who seemed to greet us as though they were expecting our arrival.

"Good morning, Baron! Care for a glass of lemonade? I just put some biscuits in the oven. They should be out soon." The old woman smiled warmly, greeting Quinn with an embrace. She turned to me and took my hands like we were old friends. "This must be your new bride. My how lovely! How have you been adjusting? Well I hope? You seem to have recovered quite well since the attack! Our Veil did a fine job...."

"Now Hannah, leave the poor girl alone! Why don't you go check on those biscuits? They're startin' to smell mighty fine." The old man kissed her forehead and ushered her inside with a smile. They had an ease with Quinn that I had never seen in anyone else. It was almost as if they were family.

He turned his attention to Quinn and smiled, taking his hand. "Good morning, Baron! How are you on this beautiful morning?"

"Fine, fine! I thought I might have you take a look at your daughter's handiwork and give us the final verdict."

"Of course! I'm sure she did fine, but we'll take a look." The old man smiled at me and motioned for me to walk into the house. I turned back to Quinn apprehensively to which he smiled and grasped my hand.

"You're in good hands, my love. Vernon has been the personal doctor to me and my family for years. They raised Veil and taught her everything she knows. If you trust her, you can trust them."

I nodded and followed Vernon's direction into the house, turning into a small room that was outfitted with medical equipment and an examining table. He motioned toward the table as he turned to grab a pair of gloves and a tool that looked like a duck's bill.

"Undress from your hips down and hop up on that table for me, would you?"

I stopped in my tracks, unsure if I had just heard the doctor correctly.

He turned to look at my astonished face and laughed, "You're fine, girl! I just need to do a check up and make sure everything is working alright. I'll meet you over there in a minute. Go on!"

I hesitantly lifted my skirt and pulled down my knickers, placing them on the chair by the door. I sat on the table, feet dangling off the end and waited impatiently for this to be over. Vernon sat down in the stool in front of me, and pulled out two metal armatures with stirrups on the ends from either side of the table.

"Now, lie back for me, put your feet up in these stirrups. Good girl. Now scoot down towards me so I can get a better view. Ah there we go! Ok, now this might be a bit uncomfortable. Sorry about that."

I jumped a bit as I felt the cold metal duck bill being inserted in and opened to spread my vagina as wide as it could go. The doctor then reached his gloved fingers in and pressed against the walls, periodically asking if this hurt, or this, how about this? After he was satisfied, he pulled the clamp out, and stripped the gloves from his hands.

"That's it, hun! All done! Why don't you get dressed and then we'll join the Baron and the missus out on the porch? Hm?"

I hurriedly pulled my undergarments back on and brushed down my skirt as the doctor opened the door and ushered me out towards the front porch.

Sitting in one of the grand rockers sipping on a glass of lemonade, Quinn smiled up at us lazily in the warming humid air.

"Well, Vernon? How did Veil do?"

"Fine! Fine, Baron! Your bride is as good as new. She'll be fine to carry anytime."

Carry?

Quinn stood, smiling broadly. "Well that's fine news! I was so afraid for you, my dear. We wouldn't want you to be denied the gift of motherhood on account of a misguided sword, now would we?"

Motherhood?

As we bid our farewells and mounted our horses, the fog lifted and suddenly I understood. Why else would he have picked a girl from the fields? One of child bearing age. One that was healthy and worked hard. One that he knew was favored among his Clippers. One that he already owned. Why else would he bring me in to his home, clean me up, feed me well? Why else would he go to war over my being stabbed?

He needed an heir.


End file.
